Five Best Divya Dutta Films That Prove She Is A Woman Of Caliber

We all remember Divya Dutta either as Shabbo from Veer-Zaara or as Ishri Kaur from the biopic Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Although Dutta has mostly acted in supporting roles, neither audience nor the critics could resist being charmed by her performances. The actor since her appearance in the 2004 film Veer-Zaara gained a lot of popularity. Even if some of the films she was a part of received negative remarks, her performance was always appreciated.

Dutta, as an actor, has constantly pushed her boundaries and played characters that are as different as chalk and cheese; her experimentation with the kind of characters has always left the cinema-goers in awe. Even as the ambitious, cut-throat principal Kamini in the 2016 film Chalk n Duster, she shone.

In the same year, released her film Iraada which fetched her a National Film Award in the Supporting Role category. The actor who was attending an interactive session of her book in Lucknow told that she is awaiting the releases of OTT content and films she was shooting for.

Here's our selection of the five best Divya Dutta films

Stanley ka Dabba

The 2011 release starring Partho Gupte, Amole Gupte and Divya Dutta is a heart-warming story of a fourth-grader and his Dabba (lunch box). Dutta played the role of Ms Rosy, an English Teacher, at Stanley’s school. Her performance as the warm, supportive teacher added to the richness of the film. Not every student is as lucky to have teachers like Rosy. It was one of her good performances. The film directed by Amole Gupte performed relatively well at the Box Office.

Gippi

Divya essayed the role of Pappi also known as Pardeep Kaur, a single mother, in the Dharma Film. Gippi followed the story of a teenage girl and her relationship with her mother who is struggling to raise two kids on her own. Pappi is a bold, free-spirited woman while her daughter is the complete opposite of her which often creates squabbles between the duo. While the film received a small reception when it was released in 2010, Dutta’s performance as a single mother was praised by many. She had also told the media that her inspiration came from her mother.

Suggested Reading: Actors Should Talk More About Girl Bonding To Break The “banti nahi hai” Myth: Divya Dutta

Sanyogita—The Bride in Red

Divya was seen in and as Sanyogita in the 2005 Sadashivam Rao directorial. The actor played the titular role of a newly-wedded bride who was ostracised by her in-laws because her husband (Milind Gunaji) is arrested by the police while they were on their way to her marital home. The story focuses on her attempts to break away from the patriarchal setup. Her naturalistic performance of a woman stuck in an enclosed space of ‘women’s quarter’ and wanting to break free is commendable.

Haat: The Weekly Bazaar

The film Haat by Seema Kapoor was also released in 2011 in which Divya Dutta was seen playing Sanja—a woman who is accused of infidelity by her husband and is given a humiliating punishment by the village elders. Dutta’s portrayal of the character seemed authentic as she gets everything to the point; even the accent with which the villagers speak. Actors Yashpal Sharma, Archana Puran Singh, Mukesh Tiwari also feature alongside Divya in this film.

Monica

Divya Dutta was on a roll in 2011 with many consecutive releases and one of them was Monica which didn’t performed well. Dutta’s Monica Jaitley is a grey character who has endured sexual abuse, a bad marriage but is ambitious to grow through it. While it is easier to navigate either good or bad characters, it is not to do the same with grey characters. However, Dutta is effortless in the way she represents the turmoil faced by the ambitious character who is also attempting to leave her horrid past behind her. The film may have tanked at the Box Office, but Dutta’s performance was highly appreciated.

The actor has impressed the audience by giving out one commendable performance after another. Apart from the aforementioned list of Dutta's films, she is also famous for her roles in films such as Irada, Welcome To Sajjanpur, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Blackmail among many others.